Love, Or Something Like That
by destles
Summary: Set ten years after Total Drama All Stars. Courtney Furtado, a young and talented lawyer, has everything and more. Duncan West, a recently engaged bar owner, is an on the rise power source in Toronto. When these two cross paths one night, their perfect worlds are turned upside down. Follow the journey of these two former lovers as they find love (or something like that).
1. Start

_"Love may have the longest arms, but it can still fall short of an embrace." - Megan McCafferty_

The vivid sun beamed directly on Duncan's eyes. He tossed and turned but felt a weight upon his arm that was restricting him from smashing a pillow over his face. Glancing over at the pale, small figure beside him, Duncan buried his face into the woman's hair, praying the shades of teal and blue would combat the blaring rays coming from his window.

Duncan was never a morning person. He dreaded being woken up from a young age, thinking back to all the times he was late for school growing up because he smashed his alarm, even to all the times he overslept in juvie. He did, however, enjoy the presence of his fiancé, as he pushed her closer to him.

Gwen was a heavy-sleeper and was practically gone to the world the moment her head hit a pillow. That was one thing he admired about her; their connection when it came to sleep. Suddenly, Duncan felt Gwen shift as she turned to face him, still very much asleep. Duncan took a moment to take in his lover's features: her soft, creamy skin was a major contrast to her dark fashion choices.

Gwen was Duncan's complete package: edgy, mysterious and wild. As he stroked her hair, he thought about the course of their relationship; from the trips they took to alleged haunted buildings, to the art exhibits Gwen drug Duncan to, to the nights they spent fucking passionately against Duncan's Harley Davidson, their relationship was anything but boring. He then thought about their first kiss, which was captured on live television and how wild and spontaneous it was. Duncan pictured the makeshift confessional. He felt the warmth of Gwen's chapped lips against his. Suddenly, a vision of chestnut brown hair flashed through his memory along with red, puffy eyes and the sound of an undeniable high-pitched voice belonging to the self-proclaimed CIT.

Although it had been ten years since the events of the Total Drama series, Duncan felt himself thinking about Courtney, more so the guilt he felt regarding their relationship. He never truly made amends with her and found himself wondering how a reunion between the two would transpire. He figured that Courtney was probably a lawyer by now with an equally successful husband and family and doubted that she would even care about anyone from the show, let alone him.

"You're up early, everything okay?" Said the goth, groggily.

"Yeah babe, just fine." He said, planting a kiss upon her lips.

Duncan had so much to be proud of; he owned the most popular bar in Vancouver called Dare, his fiancé sold countless paintings and was due to start teaching an Art History course at the University of British Columbia, he owned a fancy penthouse and lived life like a rockstar, yet he found himself feeling so empty at times.

He often drowned out his feelings the best way he knew possible.

"What do you say to a little morning pick me up?" said Duncan, as he shifted himself above Gwen, lowering himself beneath the sheets and between her legs.

Gwen let out a breathy laugh as she felt their lips meet. If engaged life provided any glimpse as to what married life would be like, she could get used to this.

Pants left Courtney's mouth as her feet hit the pavement one after the other.

She always started her days at 5 AM with a run, followed by a nice shower and a light breakfast. She preferred to start her mornings off being productive, she felt that it made her mind sharper.

Jogging around her gated community, she took in the glow of the street lights that donned upon each road she passed. Coming upon her house, Courtney paused her iPod, blasting music from artists she hardly knew.

Walking into her house, she felt at ease when she felt the soothing smell of peppermint flood her nose. She loved making her house feel as cozy and peaceful as possible. With all the drama that surrounds the life of a lawyer, she needed a nice getaway.

Making her way up the curved stairwell, Courtney admired the details of her home. Designed with neutral colors as the focus, her home was a mixture of clean, organized and expensive, just like its owner. At the ripe age of 27, Courtney lived the life of someone twice her age. Success followed her like a lost puppy. Graduating from college at 21, earning her J.D at 24 and becoming a partner at her law firm by 26, the young woman had everything going for her. Well, almost.

Walking into her bathroom, Courtney stopped in front of her full body mirror and gazed at herself. She was drastically different than the young girl competing for 100,000 dollars on a reality TV show.

Taking a closer look, she acknowledged everything that changed about her, from her now back length honey-brown hair to her even more curvaceous figure, Courtney was far from the young, preppy teenager that graced television ten years ago. Sighing, she stepped into the shower and embraced the hot gust of water and steam.

Closing her eyes and taking in the moment, Courtney couldn't help but feel a ping of pain when she thought about the one thing she wanted but didn't possess: love. Sure, she had boyfriends and equally successful guys she slept with here and there, but they could never satisfy the burning desire she craved in a relationship. None of the men were daring or dangerous. They didn't live life on the edge. They weren't like Dun-

Her eyes popped open like a can of biscuits. She hadn't thought about him in years and was borderline disgusted with herself for even thinking that she would want a man like Duncan. He was her first everything: first kiss, first serious relationship, first love, first sexual partner and first heartbreak. She realized that he was never in love with her, merely seeing her as another notch on his bedpost. She couldn't help but still feel hurt over how he left her. Gazing at the small heart shaped scar on her arm from tattoo removal, Courtney felt her eyes well up with tears.

She shook her head and turned the water off. She had a new life for herself and was too great to let a man put her down.

Settling on a form-fitting pencil skirt, silk button up and nude pumps, Courtney got ready to take on her day. She was considered one of the most beautiful women in her office and loved playing up her outfits.

Reciting her morning mantra and grabbing a cup black coffee, Courtney headed out into the world feeling unstoppable.

Finishing up his morning routine of sex and coffee with Gwen, Duncan showered and hit the gym. His favorite thing to do in the morning, besides have sex, was work out. He found it to be a huge stress relief and escape. Considering all that he had going on in his life, between sending out wedding announcements to their closest friends, to ensuring that his bar was remaining a hot topic, Duncan found it hard to make time for himself.

Running on the treadmill, Duncan took off his shirt, which was becoming saturated in sweat. Revealing his defined chest and abs to the ladies of the gym, Duncan knew he was a looker. He often found himself thriving off of the compliments and mouth-gaping stares he would receive.

His arms were covered in tattoos, some ranging from quotes, roses and skulls, to dragons, fire and a small heart he didn't have the guts to cover up completely. He often wondered why Gwen never questioned him about the tattoo but was appreciative that his fiancé wasn't the jealous type.

Stepping off the machinery, Duncan wiped his face on his sweaty shirt and flashed a slight flirty gaze to one of the trainers in the facility. Although he wasn't cheating, Duncan loved to tease women. It was his guilty pleasure.

Showering at the gym and driving over to Dare, Duncan found himself daydreaming about his future. He shocked himself when we began to think that a tough guy like him would be engaged to marry soon. A million thoughts crossed his mind at once. He remembered the moment he proposed to her in front of the largest cemetery in British Columbia on Halloween.

The engagement ring consisted of onyx and sapphire, Gwen's favorite gems. He thought about the tears the flooded her cheeks when he presented the ring to her and his nervousness compared to that. His hand shook terribly when he held out the box to her while kneeling.

The possibility of having kids then crossed his mind, although Gwen said she never wanted children. He panicked about the idea of having to reform his life to be child friendly. He also thought about what kind of dad he would be. Would he be strict and uptight like his own father, or laidback and nurturing like his mother? What if he had a daughter? Would she look like Gwen or have his striking blue eyes?

All of these thoughts engulfed Duncan as he arrived at Dare.

He liked to show up to the bar early to double check that the facility was equipped for the night. He was proud of himself for being able to open and establish the company on his own, using money he saved up from working with a mechanic for three years.

Checking on his wait staff to assure that they were prepared, Duncan turned on the club music and grabbed a drink. He had a feeling that this night would be interesting.

Courtney cursed herself for staying so late in the office. She forgot that she had a date with Devan, her seemingly perfect new neighbor and was rushing to get home to get ready.

Throwing off her work clothes and digging through her closet, Courtney settled on a pale pink tank dress and beige thigh boots, declaring the outfit equally sassy and sexy.

Retouching her make-up and giving herself a beach wave hairstyle complete with a top knot, Courtney glanced at herself one last time in the mirror when the bell rang. She waited a few seconds to answer, not wanting to seem desperate.

When she answered the door, she instantly felt the disappointment crash down. Devan was already seemingly drunk, his eyes glossed over and his hair disheveled. He had a cab waiting for them outside.

"At least he's responsible" thought Courtney, as she followed the stumbling man to the vehicle. She looked on the bright side and figured she could enjoy a couple of drinks on Devan as she got into the car.

Two hours later and five shots in, Courtney had no clue where her date was and didn't care. She was enjoying sitting by herself at the bar and was reaping the benefits of running up Devan's tab. The bartender came around to check on her often, but she reassured him she was fine with being alone.

Duncan was in full host mode. He found that a large amount of his success came from his ability to connect to his customers. Clubs were home to the crying boyfriends/ girlfriends, the loners, the single ladies and the guys trying to take a girl home and Duncan was there for every last one of them, offering them their drink of the night or having the DJ play a song just for them.

Walking around, he glanced over at the bar and saw mocha skin. The lady was dressed in a sexy get-up and had beautiful flowing hair. Even though she was sitting, Duncan could tell she was the total package. There was no reason for her to be alone.

"Excuse me miss, but I don't allow pretty ladies such as yourself to be alone at my club."

"Is that so? Then why am I okay with being- "she stopped dead in her sentence when she caught a glance of who approached her.

The classic green mohawk was replaced with a quaffed haircut that was now all black. He had a full beard in lieu of a soul patch and rid himself of a uni brow and facial piercings. After all these years, he still had a charm about him, but at this moment his piercing blue eyes were widened with terror and shock.

"Courtney?"

Motioning to the bartender, Courtney exclaimed "I'm going to need another drink."


	2. Impulse

**A/N: Hi everyone! I was figuring out the kinks of FanFiction, so I didn't leave a note in the first chapter, but thank you to everyone reading! I am by no means a perfect writer, but I've loved DxC since I was in middle school (college junior currently) and have never had the courage to write my own stories. Thank you for the support and I hope you like this story! Please remember to leave me reviews.**

"The truth will set you free, but first it'll piss you off."

Duncan couldn't believe his eyes.

After all these years he wondered what happened to Courtney and to finally see her, in his club of all places, was surreal but pleasant. He found himself feeling somewhat taken-aback at the women that sat before him. She looked nothing like she used to and had matured so much.

Her hair, no longer chestnut shade and shoulder length, was now practically blonde and to the middle of her back. While Courtney was always on the curvy side, her features were more prominent and defined, an aspect Duncan took a liking to immediately.

He did however see the small details that did make Courtney so unique; from her eyes, which were a shade of chocolate brown and almond shaped to her pouty lips and the freckles that graced her nose. She was still undoubtabley Courtney, yet, she had a new air to her.

She seemed more confident in herself. Her current clothes were a major contrast to her usual sweaters and slacks. She sat high but was living in the moment. She seemed so manufactured but so relaxed.

Duncan must have stared too long at Courtney because she began to shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"Well this is interesting," he said, shifting the weight in his feet.

Courtney nodded subtly, fidgeting with the top of her boots. She was never a nervous person considering she tackled serious court cases for a living, but this particular situation had her almost jumping out of her skin.

"How have you been?" he continued, pushing to make the most out of the moment.

"Good, you?" she said, slowly making eye contact with Duncan. She began to question if the situation was really happening. She wasn't mad anymore at Duncan for leaving her the way he did, but this wasn't exactly the setting she pictured herself reuniting with him.

"I'm good. I never would have guessed that the infamous Courtney Corona would be sitting in my club alone at the bar. I guess you finally did get that pole out of your butt and it only took ten years," he said, chuckling at his own jokes.

Giving him a slight shove, Courtney shook her head. Years later and he's still teasing her about being uptight. "And I never would have guessed that a criminal would be able to become a club owner, but I guess time does change a person," she retorted.

Nodding his head, Duncan let out a mental sigh of relief. He mostly was happy that she didn't get up and walk away from him.

Suddenly, Devan, visibly impaired and discheveled, walked up to the pair. Placing an arm around Courtney, he leaned into her forcefully, slightly knocking her out of the barstool.

The vicious smell of alcohol and cologne radiated from the young man and he attempted to whisper into Courtney's ear.

"Let's go home, sexy. I want to get to know you in bed," he exclaimed. Courtney, visibly annoyed and embarrassed, shot dirty looks in his direction while Duncan took it all in. He couldn't believe Courtney was dating someone as sloppy as the guy that stood in front of him.

"Devan, you're drunk. Let's get you home," said Courtney exasperatedly. She began to stand up when Devan suddenly swayed and fell on Duncan.

"I'll take you guys home, don't worry about it," volunteered Duncan. Courtney, not wanting to be left alone with Devan any longer, gladly obliged. Taking a stance on the opposite sides of Devan and each placing his arm around their shoulders, Duncan and Courtney marched a now passed out Devan to Duncan's midnight blue Mustang. Forcing him into the backseat, Duncan assisted Courtney in the passenger seat, taking a quick glance at her silky legs.

Walking over to the driver's seat and zooming off, Duncan's curiosity consumed him. He wondered how long the two had been dating, what he did for a living, what Courtney did for a living and whether or not they were frequent visitors at his bar. Courtney must have taken notice of Duncan's trance and cleared her throat.

"He's not my boyfriend. He's a new neighbor that asked me out. I thought it would be an interesting experience but I didn't realize he had a drinking problem. I live on Winters Court, by the way."

He laughed, replying "I'm not worried about what you do with your boytoys, princess."

Tensing up at the old nickname, Courtney fiddled with her hair, taking the top part out of the bun and running her fingers through her hair. Duncan found himself taken aback at how much she had changed.

"How's life been treating you?" she said, wanting to get the attention off of her.

"Good. I opened Dare about two years ago and it's been very successful. I have a penthouse downtown and my wedding is coming up soon, so life has been keeping me busy."

Her heart fluttered at the last statement. She never would have guessed that Duncan of all people would be settling down. "Wedding? Who's like lucky lady?"

A wave a fear came crashing down on him. He hesitated before answering "Gwen".

She smiled.

Granted, it was forced, but she had to fake it to not seem jealous. She had plenty of training in using a poker face from being in court and decided that this was the perfect opportunity to use her skills. She was happy that they found love in each other, but she couldn't help but feel annoyed that she had to get hurt in the process.

"Congratulations. I really am happy for you."

"Thanks, our wedding is on Halloween. We're having a hard time securing a venue that's willing to have a dark gothic wedding, but Gwen is spear-heading everything so that's one less stress I have," he explained. "How about you? How have you been?"

"Everything is great. I'm a partner with my law office and I have yet to lose a case. My house was built last year and it's my dream home. Everything is perfect."

"No husband or kids?" he questioned.

"Divorced. We had a miscarriage and we fell apart after that," she paused then said, "my house is on the left," mentally slapping herself for revealing too much.

Pulling into her driveway, Duncan found himself itching to hear more from his former partner. So much had changed and there was so much to catch up on. Hearing about everything Courtney had lost and accomplished lit a flame of interest into Duncan and he couldn't resist but asking for more.

Courtney stepped out of the car, reaching in the backseat to help a drunk Devan out. Duncan speedily jumped out and helped her.

"If it's okay with you, I would like to meet up with you again" said Duncan.

Placing Devan's arm around her shoulder, she paused and thought about it. "I don't think that's a good idea, Duncan. We're in two different places in life."

Sighing, Duncan nodded his head. "Well. Where does this guy live?"

Pointing to the house next door, Duncan and Courtney walked Devan to his house. Courtney dug through his pockets to find his house keys, opened the door and the pair plopped Devan on the couch, sighing a breath of relief knowing that this job was done.

Walking back towards his car, Duncan stopped Courtney again.

"I know that I hurt you in the past and for that I really do apologize. I'm so happy that I was able to see you again and I'm so proud of you for accomplishing your dreams."

Smiling, Courtney thanked Duncan before reaching her hand out for a handshake. "I don't hate you and I wish you the absolute best with everything."

Looking at her manicured hand before looking into her eyes, Duncan pulled Courtney into a hug. He didn't know if he would ever see her again and wanted to capitalize on the moment. Courtney, shocked at the sudden display of affection, wrapped her arms around Duncan before pulling away.

"Have a good night," she said while towards her house.

He waved, getting into his car and speeding off into the distance.

As she shut the door behind her, Courtney couldn't help be feel a gust of sadness flow over her. Her eyes, welling up with tears, felt heavy as she showered and went to bed.

Her encounter with Duncan made her realize that her "perfect" life wasn't so perfect after all. 


	3. Second Chance

"My old man is a tough man but he's got a soul as sweet as blood red jam."

Duncan felt his chest cave in as he drove home. So much had transpired over the course of two hours and he couldn't help but feel like he was spinning out of control.

His former girlfriend of three years had re-appeared in his life ten years later and had so much happen to her. He began to replay everything she had talked about; she was married, had a miscarriage and then went through a divorce. Who was her husband? Was he a type-A like Courtney or was he laid back? Duncan instantly assumed that she married another lawyer or a doctor. She always wanted to be with the best and he knew that she would never marry someone who was beneath her in status.

He then began to feel crushed. Courtney was going to be a mom. He remembered all the times she gushed over babies they encountered in public and pictured all the moments she spent discussing what kind of mother she would like to be. Courtney was always vocal about not wanting to be like her own parents and had a million baby names picked out.

Suddenly, his mind jumped to their relationship and how good they were together at the peak of their courtship. Duncan thought about the moment he told Courtney he loved her. He even wanted to marry her at one point.

All of these memories came crashing down on Duncan as he pulled into the parking garage of his apartment complex. He mentally snapped himself out of it. He had a beautiful fiancé at home waiting for him and he made a life for himself since Courtney. He couldn't continue to let those memories weigh on him, especially since he had bigger and better things to look forward to.

Walking into his apartment, Duncan released a sigh of frustration as he looked around and saw the mess Gwen left behind. While she was artistic and crafty, Gwen often had a hard time being tidy, often ruining Duncan's furniture and clothes with her art supplies. Picking up dirty paint brushes and trashed canvases, Duncan made his way to his bedroom where he found Gwen wide awake. She always stayed up to make sure Duncan made it home safely, but this night he was home earlier than usual. He usually came home around 3AM, but this night, Duncan was home by 12.

"Everything okay?" said Gwen, glancing over at their digital clock. "You're home super early."

Duncan, caught off guard by the question, refused to tell her the real reason for his early arrival. He knew that Gwen felt relatively threatened by Courtney and would still get jealous at the drop of her name and felt it best that he left their encounter a secret.

"Yeah babe, I wasn't feeling too great so I came home."

Nodding, Gwen went back to drawing. She was always pretty understanding and flexible when it came to Duncan and his work schedule. She understood that he lived a different life considering his work house took place during the early hours of the day and always tried to support him.

Duncan shed his clothes and hopped in the shower. He hoped that the water would burn away the strange longing feeling he had in his heart.

Needing a change of scenery, Courtney decided to take her morning exercises to a local park. It was a crisp Saturday morning and she loved the way the city looked when the sun was just rising. Running past nearby bikers and elderly couples taking brisk walks, Courtney's mind was racing faster than her body was.

A week had past since her encounter with Duncan and she found it taking a toll on her at work. She had been zoned out all week and needed the weekend to get her mind back on track and focus on herself.

This particular weekend, Courtney decided to utilize her time and treat herself. She had an entire spa day planned and was looking forward to the much-needed TLC.

Since she left reality television, Courtney sought to shed any ounce of the girl the world was introduced to. While she was still type-A, Courtney knew that she needed to loosen up and live her life to the fullest.

She let go of everything the held her back, starting from her hair, which was always seen as the innocent chocolate brown, was dyed honey-brown before her wedding. A serial dieter, Courtney let go of all guilt she felt about her body and ate what she wanted. Granted, she still worked out regularly, but she enjoyed the extra weight she gained and felt happy in her own body. She embraced her curves, she flirted more and above else, she was confident.

Finishing up her run, Courtney jogged over to the nearby coffee shop. She frequented the boho-chic establishment almost every morning before she went to work. The staff was always so friendly and almost all of the employees knew her typical order of black coffee and a bagel.

Adjusting her sweaty ponytail, Courtney entered the building, the smell of mocha and espresso flooding her nostrils. She always enjoyed the upbeat atmosphere and the friendly banter that occurred among the employees and patrons. Heading over to the cashier, she opened her mouth to order when she felt a pair of eyes land on her. She shook it off, ordered and paid, moving to the side of the store and waiting for her name to be called, pulling out her phone to help her pass the time.

Suddenly, Courtney felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around, her eyes brown eyes connected with piercing hazel eyes. Her heart flutter as her eyes gazed into the gentleman's soul.

"Hey Court. How have you been?" rang from the man's deep, robust voice.

Courtney hadn't seen her ex-husband in a year, and she would be lying if she said she didn't always think about him.

Elliott Hollingsworth was the picture-perfect man: tall, muscular, kind, honest and wealthy. He met Courtney while they were in college and instantly fell in love with her. He was one of the most prominent stock brokers in Canada and sought to assure that his family was taken care of. When Courtney miscarried, the couple fell into a dark depression that drove them apart.

Courtney, taken aback, hugged her ex opposed to answering him. Grabbing her coffee, Elliott ushered Courtney to a table in the establishment. The former paring sat and spoke for seemingly hours, both parties confessing to missing each other. Before leaving, the two made arrangements for a date.

Unknown to Courtney, however, Duncan and Gwen sat in the shop watching the entire interaction. He snorted, drinking his coffee while Gwen rolled her eyes.


	4. Slow Dance

A/N: Hi everyone! I know there was some slight confusion with the last chapter, so I hope these next two give some clarity. As always, please review!

"Save room for my love, save room for a moment to be with me."

Saturday mornings were usually extremely calm for Duncan. He found that he and Gwen fell into a steady routine of sex, an episode of their favorite horror series and a coffee from the hip nearby coffee shop, _Black._

This particular morning, Duncan and Gwen were off to a rocky start. Gwen, who had been texting since they woke up, seemed on edge and agitated with Duncan all morning. In hopes to resolve the issue, Duncan decided the pair should skip their regular activites and get coffee, beliving that they both needed to get out of the house.

Upon entering Black, the first thing he noticed was the distinct honey-blonde hair he encountered a few nights ago. Mouth agape, Duncan knew that he couldn't approach Courtney with Gwen with him, so he faked and acted like he needed to use the restroom. Gwen, however, also noticed Courtney and grew even more irritated with Duncan's antics. She stood in the back of the establishment and watched Courtney's actions. Gwen couldn't believe that after all these years, the girl who was once her friend reappeared.

After Gwen and Courtney made up in All Stars, Gwen found herself texting Duncan once the season ended. The two were instantly back together, causing Courtney to once again distrust Gwen. When everyone found out about the pairing, the majority of the cast distanced themselves from the two, feeling as if they were unreliable and heartless. Deep down the goth knew that she was wrong, but she would never openly admit it.

Duncan stood in the restroom for five minutes pretending to go when we finally exited and reunited with Gwen. At this point, Courtney had ordered and relocated to another part of the room.

The pair ordered two expressos and were instantly handed their drinks when they found a table that had a perfect vision of Courtney. Suddenly, a young man around their age approached her. He had striking piercing eyes, tanned skin and a deep shade of brown hair. He hovered over Courtney and dressed in expensive business causal clothing.

When Courtney turned around, she immediately jumped into his arms, causing Duncan to snort and Gwen to roll her eyes. Both were equally interested and annoyed at the situation.

Gwen, who rolled her eyes at Duncan and Duncan, who snorted out of peer jealousy, drank their drinks in silence and hastily left. Neither of the two wanted to speak of the situation to each other and continued about their days as if nothing had happened.

That night, Courtney decided to call Bridgette. She was the only cast member from the Total Dramas that she kept up with and even considered her to be a best friend. Bridgette served as a bridesmaid at Courtney's wedding and was right by her side during her divorce, never once judging her. In return, Courtney served as Bridgette's Maid of Honor during her wedding to Geoff and is the godmother of their three-year-old daughter Amelia.

Bridgette was a huge fan of Elliott and cried profusely when the couple separated. She knew that he was the perfect man for Courtney and after witnessing all the past relationship trauma she endured, she prayed and hoped that the two would reconcile.

Hearing her phone chime, Bridgette looked at the contact picture and immediately answered excitedly.

"Hey Court, you're up late. Everything okay?"

"Yeah Bridge" she answered softly "I just wanted you to know that I ran into Elliott and we're going on a date"

Shrieking, Bridgette bounced up and down. There was nothing more she wanted but for her friend to be happy.

"Court, that's amazing," she exclaimed. "When is the date and where are you all going?"

"Elliott's offering to make dinner at his house. I imagine we are going to catch up about life. After all, it's been two years since we divorced."

The two ladies chatted for a few more minutes, promising to meet for lunch during the week before hanging up.

Courtney laid in bed replaying the day in her mind. Elliott had been one of the greatest guys she had ever been with and was nervous at the fact that he had reappeared in her life so suddenly.

She was fearful of reopening their history and prayed that their date went well. As if on cue, Elliott texted Courtney. He hadn't sent a message to her in fear that he would overstep his boundaries after the divorce. Turning on her side, Courtney texted Elliott all night.

The next day, the 27-year-old was a nervous wreck as she approached the large maple door that was a smaller fraction of Elliott's home. Wiping her sweaty hands on her jeans, Courtney inhaled and tried to say a few motivational sayings to herself before she rang the doorbell.

In an instant, Elliott opened the door. The smell of pasta flooded Courtney's nostrils as she connected eyes with her former lover. Elliott, who was vividly nervous, immediately ushered her in.

"Hey Court, you look great."

"Thanks Ell, you don't look too bad yourself. The house still looks good. I'm glad to see you've been able to upkeep it considering your busy schedule." She said, taking in the elements of their former home.

Courtney and Elliott purchased the two-story family home a few months before their wedding. She had spent months decorating the rooms and paid special attention to the room that was designated for their child. When the couple divorced, Courtney felt it best to let Elliott keep the home, deciding that the pain of living there would be unbareable. To be honest with herself, she was shocked that Elliott decided to keep the house.

"I employ a little help here and there, but other than that I couldn't let all of your hard work go to waste."

Walking into the grand kitchen, Courtney found a seat at the kitchen island, while Elliott began plating their dinner and pouring wine. He had made her favorite meal of chicken piccata and ordered her favorite pastry from the local bakery. Courtney felt an underlying joy at all the efforts Elliott had made to make their reunion special.

After dinner, the two sat on the sofa and watched their favorite crime shows. Elliott managed to slip his arms around the young woman's shoulders and pulled her in tighter.

"I miss you so much, Court," he said lovingly. "I won't stop until your mine again."

Feeling her heart flutter, Courtney snuggled her head into the man's muscular shoulders. They stayed in that position for a while until Courtney received a message from one of her clients asking her to meet in the office at 7AM the next morning.

Ushering Courtney out, Elliott opened the door to her Audi. Turning to get in the car, Courtney felt a kiss plant on her cheek. Blushing, she faced Elliott and gave him a quick peck.

This would be the start of a new beginning, as Courtney and Elliott became an official couple two weeks later.


	5. Unrequited Devotion

**Unrequited Devotion**

"With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world." 

Duncan marched around his apartment with an eerie feeling in his being. His fiancé had rejected his calls time and time again and he was beginning to get worried. He usually spent his off days hanging around their home, casually flipping through channels while Gwen read some gothic literature, but when he woke up, she was no where to be found.

Checking around the kitchen, he found that some typical items, such as Gwen's paintings and small decorative antiques, were missing as well.

His heart racing, Duncan paced back and forth in the living room when a small unfamiliar white note caught his eye. He hastfully picked up the card, his eyes skimming over the paper.

 _Duncan,_

 _Over the years we have been together, we have had our ups and our downs. You have allowed me to experience some of the greatest things in life and for that I could never repay you._

 _I know that this is the shittiest thing I could do to you, but I can't keep living a lie._

 _For the last few months, I have felt myself feeling guiltier and guiltier about our relationship. I can't keep feeling envious of Courtney and our encounter with her the other day has reassured me that you're still interested in her. After all, you still have your match tattoos. Something told me to not pursue you again, but I was young and impulsive. We both knew we only started dating for the drama and attention it brought us, not because we were in love._

 _I say all of that to say I'm sorry._

 _I will always love you, but I have to do what's right for the both of us. I hope you find peace and happiness with whatever you do in life. You deserve it._

 _xxx_

 _Gwen_

Duncan felt his jaw tighten. He knew that his relationship with Gwen had been a little rocky, but everything started to become more clear to him. She never met with their wedding planner, their invitations were never sent and he didn't believe she ever told her family she was engaged.

Walking to their closet, Duncan had found that all of Gwen's belongings had been emptied out. Inspecting further, Duncan had found the onyx engagement ring upon a shelf.

Flustered and confused, Duncan did was he did best. Pulling out his midnight blue motorcycle, Duncan drove off into the morning sun, leaving his thoughts and feelings in the dust.


	6. The Feminine Mystique

**The Feminine Mystique**

" _Without communication, there is no relationship. Without respect, there is no love. Without trust, there is no reason to continue."_

He was devastated.

Words couldn't begin to explain all the emotions that flooded his body. He spent a week at home drinking, letting his business partner handle Dare while he was out.

He stared blankly at the wall, only getting up to refill his glass. He spent time searching his memory trying to pin-point what he did wrong.

After a week and a half of solitude, Duncan came to terms with what he did.

Over the years, he searched high and low for Courtney, always wondering where she was and what she was doing. He kept (not so hidden) stashes of photos of the couple in his closet. He remembered a particular time when Gwen had caught him flipping through a photo album containing pictures of the two when they first got off the island.

In public, he would constantly see a Latina woman and instantly assume it was Courtney. He was always oblivious of how annoyed Gwen would get when he did this.

It also didn't help that Duncan refused to get their matching tattoo covered up. All these years he assumed that Gwen didn't care, forgetting all the small conversations they had about the possibility of him getting it removed.

He wasn't over Courtney and it was obvious.

He tried to deny it all these years, but it was apparent to everyone. He spent ten years with Gwen while his heart was somewhere else the entire time. He knew that he only started dating the goth again because she was easily available to him and figured that Courtney would be jealous. His plan backfired when Courtney disappeared completely and the entire Total Drama cast, including Heather, shunned them.

So, he tried to make a relationship work with Gwen, neglecting the fact that he was stringing her along. Their encounter with Courtney at the coffee shop was the straw that broke the camel's back in Gwen's case.

The guilt really sank in when he realized he would have to call his family and let the know the wedding was off. Deep down he really did love her, but his heart was yearning for something he couldn't have. He called Gwen every day, each attempt going straight to voicemail. He eventually learned from a mutual friend that Gwen had accepted a job in New York and had been talking to Trent for months.

Accepting his fate, Duncan tried to find love elsewhere.

He fell into an eventual routine: gym, work, bring home a random girl, repeat. For months, he continued this vicious cycle, sinking deeper and deeper into his slump. He knew that he wanted love but searched in all the wrong places. So instead, he settled for a temporary fix.

Months had passed and Courtney felt the happiest she had been in years. She and Elliott had taken several trips together, from Disney World to the Grand Canyon, to weekly movie dates and adventures to urban restaurants in the city. Their relationship had taken a fresh restart and she couldn't have been more grateful.

The couple even went on double-dates with Bridgette and Geoff and would often babysit Amelia when the two had date nights. Elliott found himself playing tea party while Courtney played scientist, making fake slime and doing mini experiments to entertain the young child.

Elliott found himself staying at Courtney's house regularly, practically moving in. His house was hardly occupied, only seeing the resident when he came to mow the lawn on the weekends.

Nine months had passed before the two told their families about their reuniting. Both parties were largely disappointed when they learned that their children had planned on divorcing and pushed for the them to try and work through their issues.

When news broke about the paring, both families came together and had a massive barbeque hosted by Elliott's parents.

During his lunch breaks, Elliott would swing by Courtney's office and bring her food, always having a bouquet of flowers for her. Her office began to turn into a small florist shop due to all the flowers he would bring. Courtney's co-workers were just happy to see her in love and in a happy relationship.

A year had passed before the two considered having sex. Although Courtney was on birth control, the two were hesitant to try anything. The fear of the unknown had kept them from being intimate, but after several weeks of reassuring Elliott, the two made love.

The two were in the grocery store when Courtney began to feel sick. The smell of all the foods were getting to her and the couple had to leave, abandoning their cart in the store. Every day, Courtney would have a new smell aversion, refusing to go near fish markets and even walk past garbage cans. She didn't question it until she began gagging in the courtroom from the stench of her client's perfume.

One afternoon, the lawyer fell ill, her head in the toilet for the majority of the night.

Assuming the cause to be from work-related stress, Courtney took a week off of work, with Elliott serving as her nurse.


	7. Gust of Hope

**_A/N: This chapter is very Courtney-centric but I promise it'll all be worth it. As always like and review!_**

 **Gust of Hope**

" _You have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light."_

A frantic mess, Elliott paced through the aisles of the crowded grocery store looking for ginger ale and crackers. Courtney's smell aversions morphed into full blown nausea, as she spent a majority of her days bent over in a toilet. Tonight, the couple had dinner plans with Geoff and Bridgette and Elliott knew how much Courtney hated to flake on people

So instead, he went on an excursion in pursuit of things that would possibly settle his girlfriend's stomach.

Finding and purchasing the necessary items, Elliott raced to his home where Courtney had now set up camp. Walking in, Elliott immediately took notice of his girlfriend, who was laying on the couch wearing only his hoodie and a pair of fuzzy socks. Her hair pulled into a messy bun, Courtney weakly flipped through channels, a trash can sitting next to her.

Ever since she was young, Courtney hated doctors. She felt that she should try to do everything in her power to resolve her issues before she sought the advice of a professional, who was just going to give her an over-the-counter medicine anyway. This frame of mind always worried Elliott. He always would've rather been safe than sorry, but Courtney knew deep down that we was a worry-wart.

Upon Elliott's arrival, Courtney immediately knew that he bought tons of stuff from the store despite her protests. Sitting up, she was about to begin her famous speech about being able to take care of herself when she was cut off.

"Save your sermon, sister. You haven't eaten a full meal in a week and you need to take something that'll settle your stomach." He said, handing Courtney a box of saltine crackers.

After giving a whole-hearted protest, the young woman eventually gave into the demands of her lover, eating fist-fulls of saltines at a time. She had to admit that the bug she had caught was a hard one to shake and no amount of home remedies could seem to help her.

Courtney knew that she wasn't performing at her best. After a week off of work she still felt as if she wasn't giving it her all. Her mind wasn't focused, and she couldn't help but feel as if something was looming over her. When she could, she took full advantage of the opportunities she had to herself, submerging in comfortable clothing and crappy television programs. However, she knew that she wanted to hang with her friends and eventually had to pull herself out of her funk and get dressed.

Happy to see his love finally put something in her system, Elliott began to back a small bag to bring over to their friend's house. Normally, Courtney would indulge in a glass of red wine after work, but since she fell ill, a bottle remained in their refrigerator untouched. Placing the neglected wine in a bag along with other small food items, Elliott moved his way into his bedroom where he made a quick change out of his work clothes.

When he first met Bridgette and Geoff, they were extremely different than the people he had grown up around. Being used to snotty and preppy people, Elliott was thrilled to finally be able to surround himself around people who allowed him to be himself. Geoff immediately took a liking to Elliott, teaching the young man how to grill and throw parties that weren't so high-scale and elegant. Bridgette, however, was apprehensive. After spending months getting Courtney out of her funk after the Duncan-fiasco, Bridgette knew that any other guy who waltz into Courtney's life had to be picture perfect.

The blonde spent months scoping out Elliott, always questioning him and was always unsure of his true intensions. One day, while Courtney was studying for her bar exam and when Geoff was out at work, Elliott invited Bridgette out for lunch. Immediately feeling uncertain, the young lady accepted the offer. Over the course of the meal, Elliott opened up to Bridgette about his life as the only child of two chemical engineers.

His parents, although brilliant and well-to-do, would often abandon the child, leaving him with various nannies or sending him off to boarding school. In his teens, Elliott began to have severe headaches. When he was 17, he collapsed in school from which he later learned was due to a brain hemorrhage. He ended the lunch opening up about his love for Courtney and his fear of telling her about his condition. Bridgette, after many tears, finally came around to liking him.

A year later, while the couples were driving dinner following Courtney's graduation, Elliott began to have a seizure in the back seat of Geoff's pick-up truck. He stopped seizing but was unresponsive. Bridgette, who had just finished nursing school, immediately sprang into action, calling an ambulance which rushed him to the nearest ER. Courtney all the while was by his side, praying and hoping that he could be okay. Upon arriving at the hospital, she soon learned that Elliott had his second subarachnoid hemorrhage and that his body couldn't handle another one. When he had awakened that night, surrounded by friends and loved ones, Elliott, with the help of a few nurses, lowered himself from his hospital bed, bent down on one knee and proposed to Courtney, stating that he couldn't leave this Earth without her as his life-companion. She gleefully accepted.

Elliott snapped out of his trance when he heard his phone ring. Being greeted to the sound of Amelia screaming followed by Geoff's frustrated shush, Brigette's voice burst through the phone. "Where are you? You guys said 7:30 and it's almost nine."

Reaching for his wallet and keys, Elliott hurriedly ran downstairs to find Courtney putting on her shoes. "Sorry Bridge, Court hasn't been feeling well and I wanted to make sure she was squared away before we headed over. We're leaving now."

"You better be. See ya in a bit," she said before hanging up.

Courtney, after many failed attempts of getting off the couch, settled on a pair of leggings and a college shirt, readjusting her messy bun. She felt so out of character for being so dressed down but her relationship with her friends was so casual and genuine that she knew they would accept her no matter what.

Geoff and Bridgette lived in a beach house right outside of Toronto. After Total Drama, Bridgette stumbled with the career path she wanted to take. Initially studying to become a veterinarian, she changed paths and became a pediatric nurse, volunteering at animal shelters on the weekends. Geoff, however, always knew he wanted to be a store owner. He opened a small liquor store not far from the club district and found that business was a huge success. After expanding and opening two more chains, his legacy was forever stapled in Toronto.

Getting out of the car, Courtney was immediately hit with the smell of saltwater. Plugging her nose, she continued into the house, where she was greeted with the sound of soft music playing. Unlocking the door with her spare key, the pair entered the house where they had a clear vision of Amelia face-down on the couch, fast asleep. Donning her princess pajamas and shark house slippers, the image melted Courtney's heart. Their child would have been a year older than the small girl and it pained her every day to think about all the experiences and memories she missed out on as a mother.

Entering the kitchen, Geoff and Bridgette had just finished making a new recipe Bridge was dying to make. Elliott, handing the couple a bottle of wine and some side dishes, took a seat at the table next to Geoff, pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

Bridgette took a look at Courtney and gasped. She looked over at Geoff worriedly before stating "Courtney, you look… different. I know you said you've been feeling sick, but I didn't realize it was taking this much of a toll on you."

Elliott shot a glance to Courtney who immediately put her head down. She knew that she needed to see a doctor, but her pride in self-medicating was stronger than her desire to have someone tell her something she already knew.

"I know, I know. I think I may have the flu, but I really don't want to have to take all this time off from work."

Bridgette's green eyes squinted at Courtney. "What are your symptoms?" She said uncertainly.

"Well. I smell everything, and it bothers me. I can't even go in to the grocery store without feeling nauseous. I'm always tired and I don't have an appetite. Plus, I throw up like crazy."

Knowing where the conversation was going, Geoff dismissed himself from the room and went to put Amelia in bed.

Bridgette pulled Courtney to the table and sat her down next to Elliott. Taking a deep sigh, the blonde opened her mouth before she was cut off.

"Courtney, babe, I think you're pregnant." Said Elliott worriedly.

Gasping Courtney looked at her friend who was nodding in agreeance. Bridgette ran upstairs to grab one of her spare pregnancy tests and returned to the kitchen.

"Geoff and I were planning on having another baby soon, so I was saving this for that moment, but the suspense is killing me."

Courtney grabbed the box and rushed to the restroom. She didn't realize that she was late on her period and assumed it was stress related. Following the provided instructions, she waited the allotted time for the test results to come in. Her timer dinged after five minutes and she flipped the test over that read, _**pregnant.**_

She cried. The first reaction she could even give was one of joy and fear. Elliott, Bridge and Geoff immediately rushed into the bathroom. Elliott fell to his knees and hugged Courtney tightly, while the other couple cheered and shed a few tears.

The rest of the night was spent rejoicing and discussing all the new possibilities of how motherhood would go for Courtney.

The next morning, Courtney scheduled an appointment with her doctor. She and Elliott went together when they learned that Courtney was two months pregnant and that she was due in June. The couple waited a few more weeks before going public with the information. Elliott began buying baby items and had a picture of the ultrasound framed in his office while Courtney signed the two up for mommy classes.

The past left the two fearful of the present, but they had a massive gust of hope that reassured them that this would be the start of something promising.


	8. Heads Will Roll

**Heads Will Roll**

"Forgive me first love, but I'm tired. I need to get away to feel again."

Tired was an understatement for Duncan.

After spending the last year binge-drinking, sleeping around and partying, his friends, family and liver were all giving him a wake-up call.

Well, that and the pending lawsuit he had against him for _Dare_.

Two months ago, the club had been accused of providing alcohol to minors. He knew that he ran a pretty loose ship in regard to his managerial style, but he didn't realize his employees' standards were lax in terms of carding patrons.

For weeks, Duncan and his business partner (and older brother) Driver searched high and low for the most credible legal representation. The last thing the punk needed was to lose the pride and joy he called a business. While Duncan spent his nights revamping Dare, Driver met with various law firms trying to secure the best representation for their case.

So, when Duncan finally got the call from his brother about a top legal representative, he immediately jumped for a meeting with the firm.

That morning, Duncan woke up earlier than normal with a heavy weight in his chest. As a teen, he was familiar with the feeling of first meetings with lawyers, but this time things felt different.

As he got out of bed and paced around his penthouse, he couldn't shake the eerie feeling that was looming over him. He strolled over to his closet where he pulled out a pair of black cigarette pants and a blue button down. He decided to strip himself of any jewelry to make a good impression but opted to wear his onyx skull watch for good luck. He promised to meet Driver at the location and decided that he needed to look his best for the occasion, paying extra special attention to his hair and being sure his frightening tattoos were covered (although he couldn't necessarily hide the tattoos he had on the back of his hands).

Pulling out of the complex's parking garage, Duncan paid special attention to the time. He had a tendency of running late, but he knew that he didn't have much room to continue being irresponsible. Growing up he didn't give much thought to lawyers. He knew that they would take one look at him and write him off. Especially considering that a majority of them were court-appointed, he knew he didn't have a chance at getting off for his petty crimes.

But this time, things were different. Duncan had worked hard for all that he had, and he wasn't going to let his lifelong dream come crashing down. He had already lost everything closest to him and wouldn't stand to allow more injustices occur in his life. As his GPS system alerted him of his impending destination, Duncan suddenly received a call from Driver. Nervously checking the time to make sure he was still punctual, Duncan speedily answered.

"Driver, what's up bro?" he said, questioningly.

"Dunc, the lawyer's going to be a little late. The receptionist said her doctor's appointment ran late and she's going to be in about twenty minutes late." Driver replied.

"Pffft, as if. What kind of fluke did you set us up with Driver? I don't have time for bullshit." Duncan said aggressively.

"Stop worrying. This chick is legit. She has like a million fucking awards in her lobby. Plus, she charges an arm and a leg, so she better be worth it."

"Yeah, we'll see. Be there in five" Duncan said, hanging up.

Shortly after, Duncan pulled into the parking garage of the large skyscraper complex. Heading inside the building and onto the elevator, Duncan shrugged as he heard the gasps and felt the stares from the women nearby. Had it been any other day, he would've acknowledged them and attempted to get into the pants of the one he found the sexiest, but today was about business.

Pressing the button for the 10th floor, Duncan let out a deep sigh as he prepared himself for what was to come. He ran a hand through his nicely quaffed hair and cracked his knuckles out of nervousness. Suddenly, the doors opened to a lavishly decorated lobby area with the wall engraved with the title "Hollingsworth and Associates". He glanced around the lobby looking for Driver but couldn't seem to find him, so cleared his throat as he addressed the receptionist.

"Hi ma'am, I have a meeting with Mrs. Hollingsworth at 11AM. I believe she was running late, but I can't seem to find my business partner who arrived before I did."

"Oh, yes, hi Mr. West," she began. "Ms. Furtado just called and said she's on her way upstairs now. Your brother is in her office if you'd like to join him. It's the last door on the right."

"Wait. Furtado? I thought her name was Hollingsworth?" Duncan replied confusedly.

Nervously, the receptionist answered "It's a misprint on our website that we've needed to change. Ms. Furtado got a divorce and hadn't gotten around to changing to company name."

"Great. A lazy lawyer." Duncan said as he walked off and into the office.

As he entered, he found Driver sitting with his back to the door in one of the office chairs, texting away. The room was the largest office on the entire floor with a killer view of the city. The decorations, which were all a variation of white, cream and gray, read elegant yet simple. The smell of vanilla flooded the room. Duncan noted the hundreds of awards and medals hanging around the room. Against the wall next to a framed painting hung a flat screen tv, which was showing the news, but the channel was on mute.

The desk, which was neatly decorated with piles of paper and files, had a double computer monitor and picture frames, although Duncan couldn't actually see the photos. In the corner sat a coat rack with designer jackets neatly draped.

"Nice shit, huh?" said Driver, absently.

"Oh yeah. I'm still skeptical about this chick" he replied, taking a seat next to his brother.

Suddenly, the sound of fast clicking high heels flooded the air. A deep sigh was let out as the woman said "I'm sorry I'm late. Please forgive me."

Duncan and Driver had their eyes locked on the office desk, too scared to turn around. Duncan noticed the woman had headed to the area where the coat rack was, taking off her outerwear. She then walked over to her desk and plopped down her purse.

Duncan noticed the baby bump first. Although it was small, it was extremely obvious. Clad against a fitting cream-colored dress, the women had to have been at least four months pregnant.

Suddenly, Driver gasped. It took him no time to realize who their lawyer was, but he assumed his brother was taking is all in.

The second thing Duncan noticed was the hair. A shade of honey-blonde and mid-back length, her hair was neatly decorated with loose body curls.

Duncan knew it was Courtney. He had recognized her voice as soon as she had spoken, but he was in awe at the woman that stood before him. Courtney had always spoke of being successful, but to actually see her live her dreams was monumental to him. He had so many questions but didn't want to seem intrusive.

When Courtney finally sat down and looked up at her clients, she slightly jumped from realization. She hadn't received any specifics regarding who she would be representing for the case and the only name she had been given was 'Driver". It didn't help that she was suffering from severe morning sickness throughout her pregnancy and had recently learned that she was having a daughter.

Needless to say, Courtney had a lot going on.

Unsure on how to break the silence, Duncan took the lead, asking

"So, princess, who's the baby daddy?"

Courtney's eyes widened as Driver placed his hands on his face.

It was going to be a long meeting.


	9. Spectrum

_**"My God, this reminds me of when we were young."**_

Courtney was not having a good day.

The 28-year-old, having just celebrated a birthday, was feeling the after-effects of her party.

Well, that and the fact that she was four months pregnant.

Her family, Elliott, Bridgette and Geoff came together and threw a surprise party for her at her home. While she couldn't partake in drinking like everyone else, she definitely danced the night away with her sister, Bridgette, and Elliott.

She also had one too many pieces of vanilla cake and spoonsful of ice cream.

Unlatching herself from Elliott's cuddle the following morning, Courtney felt every inch of soreness from the night before as she arose from her bed. Her feet ached, and her back was tense, but she knew her job was her first priority.

Groaning while walking to her bathroom, picking up her clothes from the night before along the way, Courtney stopped in front of the mirror and took a good look at herself. While she was still early in her pregnancy, she could definitely tell that her body was changing. She loved her baby bump the most.

The week prior, Courtney and Elliott learned that they were having a daughter. Being the planners that they were, the couple had already decided on her name, Olivia Taryn. The couple decided that they would nest at Courtney's home, with Courtney spear-heading the baby's nursery. She went crazy choosing different pastel colored paints and décor for the baby's room. The couple decided on neutral colors to flow with the rest of the house and to not push the gender initiative.

Closing her eyes while rubbing her belly, Courtney felt a presence approach her from behind. A strong pair of hands wrapped around her stomach as they helped stroke her stomach, with a pair of lips leaving delicate kisses along her neck.

Smiling, Courtney opened her eyes to see her ex-husband fondly holding her. While they had their trials and tribulations as a couple, Courtney knew that Elliott loved her no matter what. Lately, she found herself picturing what her child would look like; Elliott, who was half-black, half-Hispanic, strongly took after his Spanish roots. His eyes, which were a rich hazel-brown, were a beautiful contrast to his rich bronzed skin. He had dark curly black hair and slight freckles in similar areas to Courtney.

Courtney snapped out of her trance when she felt a sharp twinge in her throat. Hurriedly breaking away from Elliott's grasp and darting to the toilet, Courtney hurled up all of her enjoyment from the night before.

Elliott was quickly on her heels, holding her hair back and she purged vanilla cake and Pepsi.

"Babe, are you sure you need to go into work today? Your doctor said your condition needs to be taken seriously." Elliott said worriedly.

Courtney waved her hand in disagreement as she continued vomiting.

She had recently been diagnosed with an extreme form of morning sickness, known as hyperemesis gravidarum, and prayed that her condition didn't affect her as severely as it did other women. Unfortunately, her prayers weren't met on this condition.

"I have to go in today," Courtney replied, panting. "I have a new client that I'm meeting with and they have a really interesting case."

Shaking his head, Elliott knew that there was no stopping Courtney once her work got involved. Helping her up from the toilet, Elliott jumped in disgusted when he saw Courtney lean up to kiss up.

"What? I've had other guys kiss me after throwing up!" she said jokingly.

Three hours later and two hours late for work, Courtney mentally kicked herself for being so unprofessional. Calling her office assistant and telling her to allow her clients into her office, she hoped that they wouldn't touch or steal anything from her pristine workspace.

Courtney prided herself at her career. Shortly after becoming a partner at the firm she began working at when she got her J.D., Courtney, with the help of Elliott, purchased Hollingsworth and Associates shortly after her wedding. The firm, which mostly took on social justice case, indulged in being one of the most prominent law firms in the country, with Courtney being one of the most sought-after representatives. When she and Elliott divorced, she felt bad about changing the title and decided to leave it as is.

Parking her white Audi and running towards the entrance of her building, she prayed her cream-colored dress didn't have any puke stains on it. She found herself pulling over every two minutes during the twenty-minute commute to work to relieve herself. Pulling her winter coat closer to her body as she embraced the cold December air, she darted to the elevator and pressed 12.

Inhaling deeply, Courtney couldn't help but feel an eerie chill run down her spine. She wasn't usually a nervous person when it came to her clients and she surely had taken on harder cases than the one presented to her, but something in her soul was telling her that something was bound to happen.

Checking her phone one last time before placing it on "do not disturb," Courtney responded to Elliott's daily "I love you" text along with Bridgette's "Let's hang out after work" and her sister, Caterina's daily forward of a news article about some injustice in the world.

Sighing as the elevator doors opened, Courtney was greeted to the sounds of holiday music and the smell of peppermint within her department. While she enjoyed the holidays as much as any other girl, her receptionist always prided herself on going beyond with decorating the office.

"Good morning Chelsea is my 10 o' clock' in my office?" She asked while rushing to her office.

"Yes ma'am, they've been waiting for you," Chelsea replied worriedly. While Courtney was a great boss, the wise thing you'd want to do it cross her.

"Perfect. I'll check in with you later about my 4 PM meeting. I don't think I can stick around for it." Courtney said out of eyesight.

"Sounds good!" Chelsea exclaimed.

Walking faster, Courtney could hear the sound of her high heels clicking against the marble floors become louder and louder. She didn't want to make her clients wait a moment longer.

As she approached her doors, her office was extremely silent. She noticed that there were two gentlemen seated in the chairs facing her desk. She darted to her coat rack, sighing " I'm sorry I'm late. Please forgive me."

The gentlemen didn't respond as she headed back to her desk.

Before she made eye contact with her clients, she looked up and noticed her flat screen TV was on. She often enjoyed watching the news in-between meetings and would mute the channels when she expected clients. She was proud that Chelsea remembered to turn her TV on. However, Courtney also felt heavy stares hit her body.

As she sat in her office chair, she first saw Driver. While his face seemed familiar, it took her a moment to recognize who he actually was. She slightly jumped when she realized who he was and provided him with a curt smile. His expression, while shocked, provided an equally kind smile back to the young woman.

Before Courtney could speak, her speech was interrupted by a gruff voice which said: "So, princess, who's the baby daddy?"

Her eyes widened. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming, but even that wouldn't have been enough to shake her from the painful reality that she would be representing Duncan and his brother Driver.

Still sitting in shock, Driver chimed in "Thank you for seeing us on short notice, Courtney. I know you usually have a busy schedule, but it means a lot to use that you could help us."

Slowly coming back to reality, Courtney blinked and began logging into her computer. "No problem Driver. Again, I apologize for keeping you all waiting."

"What were you doing Princess, knocking boots?" Duncan spoke again.

Courtney felt her face turn red from anger. She strived to keep all of her relationships with her clients professional, but she wasn't going to tolerate disrespect, even if she knew Duncan was just "kidding".

Duncan felt a sharp kick from Driver. His older brother, who gave him a stern look of disapproval, was not in the mood for Duncan's B.S. Their company was in a lot of trouble and they couldn't afford to wait another month for solid legal representation. Driver knew his brother was a handful that still had feelings for Courtney, and while he didn't expect her to be doing THIS well in life, they had a job to do and he'd be damned if he let Duncan ruin it.

"While I pull up your case files, would either of you like a coffee or a water?" Courtney asked, her eyes fixed on her monitor.

"Water's fine," Driver responded.

"An answer to my question will suffice, Princess," Duncan said, strikingly.

Feeling her irritation rise throughout her being, Courtney snapped, saying "As you can see, I am pregnant. I have severe morning sickness and I was late because of it. I don't have time for your stupidity. I have other people who would be extremely grateful to be sitting where you are, so I suggest you knock it off or I'll have you escorted out."

Getting up from her desk to retrieve Driver's water, Driver excused himself and Duncan from the room, his face red from embarrassment.

"Duncan. I need you to chill out. I get it. You blew your chance with her years ago, and while yes this is not the most ideal situation to be in, I need you to man up and stop being such a child. This isn't juvey anymore. We could lose everything." Driver whisper yelled.

Duncan, who was still registering what happened, nodded at his brother before heading back into the office.

By that time, Courtney had laid out all relevant case information for the two men. She put on her reading glasses, a very Courtney-esque set of Dior frames, and proceeded to run down all the charges the company had, along with solutions she would propose in court. Throughout the meeting, Driver asked a majority of the questions while Duncan sat there absently.

He couldn't believe the woman of his dreams was flourishing and living her dream life without him. Of course, he wasn't mad at Courtney, but he was beating himself up for not growing up and trying to get back together with her sooner. He envied the guy that was with Courtney because he knew how special she really was.

Concluding the meeting, Courtney informed the men about her pregnancy schedule. She revealed that she wasn't due until June and that their case should close long before then. She also reminded the men of their first court date, which was scheduled for two weeks.

Asking if there were any questions, Driver shook his head no when Duncan softly asked, "What are you having Court?"

Taken aback, Courtney politely responded "She's a girl. We're naming her Olivia Taryn."

"Taryn? After your grandmother?" Duncan added.

Courtney nodded before showing the gentlemen out. Her heart felt heavy. While she was so grateful for the life she had, it pained her to remind on those who came before her success.

Closing her office door behind the men and taking a seat at her desk, Courtney paged Chelsea.

"Hey Chels, cancel my appointments for the rest of the day. I'm not feeling too well"

She spent the rest of the day sitting on her couch, looking through albums from TDI. She stopped on a particular photo of her and Duncan on Playa de Losers taken by Bridgette. While she blamed it on the hormones, Courtney felt her eyes well-up with tears and didn't stop them from flowing down her cheeks.


End file.
